ISL 3: Late Davide Succi strike rescues Chennai FC

Chennai: Davide Succi turned from a zero to a hero in 77 minutes, as he rescued Chennaiyin FC taking them to a 1-1 draw against Atletico de Kolkata in their ISL-3 match here on Sunday.

Until the 77th minute, home fans had every reason to vent their ire on Succi, who was guilty of missing two of the simplest chances that came his way.

But as has become his wont lately — for the second match in a row — Succi headed the ball for an equaliser just when the match seemed to be slipping out of Chennai’s hands.

There was hardly anything to separate the teams but one failed to understand Kolkata forward Iain Hume’s absence, who wasn’t even sent on as a late substitute.

Chennaiyin were dealt a major blow early in the first half when Jeje Lalpekhlua hobbled off the pitch grimacing in pain. His replacement Daniel Lalhlimpuia though gave a good account of himself.

Kolkata foward Helder Postiga seems to have a special affinity for Chennai — he had scored a brace at the same venue last year — and deservedly gave his team the lead via a brilliant header in the 39th minute.

Defender Pritam Kotal too deserves credit for a super cross, that had precision and accuracy written all over it. The second half saw Chennaiyin go for broke in search of a goal but Succi’s misses were glaring.

It though did not take the Italian forward to atone for those lapses as he headed his team back on level terms in the 77th minute.

The hosts did everything they could to somehow sneak in another goal that would have pushed them up the table, but a resolute Kolkata defence didn’t so much as budge.